Articles by Marty Kessler

The book of Exodus tells us how God handed Moses and Israel a great victory over Pharaoh and freed them from slavery in Egypt. It tells how they came right up to the border of the land of Canaan which God had promised to them through Abraham 600 years before. With the promised land in sight, however, Israel faltered in their faith. At God’s command, twelve Israelite spies (one from each trib...

Snooker is a type of billiard game, said to have been invented by British troops serving in India in the late 1800’s. The term ‘snooker’ apparently originated from this game due to the fact that a novice player can be easily cheated. To be snookered is to be fooled, and snookering did not begin with a billiard game. The devil has sought to snooker the Lord’s people ever sin...

(My apologies for not printing out more of the references noted below. Space simply would not permit it.) Is it simply a moniker for just one more of the ever-growing number of denominations (divisions) of ‘Christendom’? Is this what it means to our Lord? What did His apostle Paul mean by the phrase when he wrote, ‘All the churches of Christ greet you’ (Romans 16:16)? The p...

When there is sin, there should be sorrow. The ‘greater’ the sin, the greater the sorrow… and there are ‘greater’ sins. These are the ones that result in a greater loss and are therefore more difficult with which to deal. For example, if you or I are suddenly angered and let loose a curse or two in private, that’s pretty much between us and the Lord. Our consci...

God is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). Through the centuries, however, there have been many who were innovators. Not a single one of them ever gained God’s approval. Isn’t there a lesson in there somewhere for us? Cain was first. He offered a sacrifice without faith and got his ‘nose out of joint‘ when God disapproved, Genesis 4:1-...

Jesus’ apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth telling them that in order to avoid fornication, each man should have his own wife and each woman should have her own husband, 1st Corinthians 7:2. Good advice to those in a culture steeped in sensuality. In another place, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews put it this way: Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed...

The Lord’s supper was instituted by Jesus as He ate the Passover feast with His apostles…. all of His apostles. Even Judas remained present until the supper was over (Luke 22:14-21). They ate the Passover on the evening of the first day of unleavened bread, the same time that Passover lambs would have been being slaughtered throughout Jerusalem by the thousands (Exodus 12:6, & 17-...

Luke tells of a man whom Jesus cured of leprosy (Luke 17). This man then let his light shine amidst the darkness of ingratitude and forgetfulness by giving thanks and worshipping. Though I know nothing more about him, he remains a light to me. John tells us of a woman who took the light of Christ into the darkness of her village even though her own life seemed a mess (John 4). Her ‘shining&r...

In the passage below, a lie is implied. Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 1st Corinthians 6:9-10 So what’s the lie? There must be a lie there somewhere that threatens to deceive us, since we are warned not to be dec...

Last week’s article dealt with four very important facts about love. Jesus said that the world would know that we are His disciples because of the love that we have for one another, John 14:34-35. 2. Love is the basis of the two greatest commandments, Mathew 22:36-39. 3. All that is in the Law and the prophets depends on love, Matthew 22:40. 4. Love is superior to the miraculous, 1st Corinth...

Let’s answer the question with another question. How is the world supposed to know that we are in fact, disciples of Jesus? A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 Of all the teachings of Jesus that we must hold on ...

Here are a few helpful things I’ve learned that I am pleased to pass on. How do you get a speck of dirt or debris out of your eye? Simple! Using the thumb and forefinger of one hand, gently grasp your upper eyelid by the lashes and lift it away from your eyeball. Then with the forefinger of your other hand, gently push the lower eyelid up under the upper, and move it back and forth. This lit...

Just a few weeks from the writing of this article, a new movie will be released entitled, The Golden Compass. The movie is based on the first in a trilogy of books which the author calls His Dark Materials. These books are written for and marketed to children and are considered as children’s books by Random House Publishing whose synopsis of the story can be read at http://www.randomhouse.co...

And they are right, it is the 21st Century. We have 21st Century crime...This is no time to make excuses and allowances for sin. This is a time to make everyone accountable for their actions just as God says we will be in judgment. Besides, if we’re so advanced in the 21st Century, why haven’t we overcome such vice in our society? Nope, if there was ever a time when we must hold people...

The apostle Paul made a notable statement when He wrote to the church at Philippi, Macedonia in Philippians 1:29. He said, ‘For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake’. There is much of interest here, but in particular my thoughts are drawn to the fact that Paul said that God has granted to some the ability to bel...

Why Doesn’t God Tell Us How We Are Supposed To Feel? Instead, He always tells us the right way to behave. Take baptism for example. Have you ever wondered why we are not told how we are supposed to feel when we rise up from baptism to walk in new life, (Romans 6:3-4)? I believe the reason is that salvation is by faith, not by feelings. We can know that we have new life at the point at which ...